Melvin Guillard was always expected to reach this point in his career.
This weekend, the 28-year-old lightweight brings a four-fight winning streak and plenty of momentum into UFC 132 where he will face Shane Roller. He sits in the log jam of fighters near the top of the 155 pound division, no more than a win or two away from challenging for the divisional crown.
Matthew: Hey Melvin, how you doing?
Melvin: How you doing son?
Matthew: I’m doing pretty good man, how’s the training going for your fight next weekend?
Melvin: Ah man training’s going awesome man. Like I’ve been telling everybody else, I’ve been doing a lot of swimming, I’ve had a lot more Strength and Conditioning, submersive recovery, and even started doing gymnastics. I took a page out of Georges’ book so I feel great man. I have no doubts, no worries. I’m 100% healthy and I’m just ready to get in there and fight.
Matthew: Awesome, as far as the mood and environment at Jackson’s, there was a bit of an issue this year with Rashad leaving. What’s your take on the mood and environment at Jackson’s right now?
Melvin Guillard believes that a UFC lightweight tournament would be a good solution to solve the "unjust" ranking system within the division according to mmamania.com.
Guillard points to his current situation where he feels that he is not ranked high enough and is being treated unfairly. After dispatching highly touted prospect, Evan Dunham, Guillard's upcoming fight is against a relatively unknown, Shane Roller.
"I honestly felt after the Evan Dunham fight that it was going to move me a lot higher. But they're still ranking guys like Dennis Siver ahead of me, and I knocked this chump out in less than two minutes... But a lot of fights aren't making sense, and I don't really have a choice but to fight Roller because of the traffic jam with the weight class," Guillard said.
A lightweight tournament will be a good method to determine whose next in line for the lightweight belt while Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard recover from their injuries. Additionally it would allow fighter's to stay active against top level competition instead of opting for a long layoff.
"Edgar and Maynard still haven't fought again, so right now everybody's at a standstill. The only solution I see is them doing a 155-pound grand prix tournament, and putting everybody in brackets and weeding the losers to giving a true No. 1 contender a fight here in the next year or so" Guillard added.
A UFC lightweight tournament in the near future is unlikely but the concept does present a viable solution if a similar situation where injuries hampered the progression of a division arose again.
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